Stat Speaking with JMP

Building Confidence and Asking Better Questions

Yeng Saanchi remembers joining Eric Laber’s research lab as the start of “the best and the worst experience” of her life. What followed were years of difficult problems, disagreements, and moments when Yeng wanted to quit. But these years were also shaped by the presence of a really good mentor – someone who believed she could finish, even when she wasn’t sure herself.

In this episode of Stat Speaking with JMP, host Anne Milley explores how scientific confidence develops through difficult research, better questions, and the freedom to disagree. Eric, a professor of statistical science at Duke University, and Yeng, an analytics software tester at JMP, reflect on their years working together at NC State University, with humor and candid stories about frustration, persistence, and learning to trust yourself.

Their conversation explores:
• How curiosity and grit shape a career in statistics.
• Why a good advisor doesn’t always give you the answer.
• Learning from failed experiments and celebrating small gains.
• Working through imposter syndrome and self-doubt.
• Carrying the lessons of graduate school into professional life.

Whether you’re a graduate student, a researcher, a mentor, or someone navigating a career in STEM, this conversation offers a personal perspective on learning to think independently and finding the right people to help us get there.

Building the next generation of STEM leaders

What makes someone a great mentor? And can effective mentorship be learned?

In this episode of Stat Speaking with JMP, we had the joy of speaking with Dr. Suzanne Barbour, Dean of The Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education at Duke University. Together, Barbour and JMP’s Anne Milley explore how mentorship shapes scientists, leaders, and the culture of STEM as a whole. 

Barbour shares the story of the mentor who recognized her potential before she could see it herself. She also explains why strong mentoring depends on more than good intentions: It requires clear expectations, honest communication and an understanding of what helps people develop competence, autonomy, and a sense of belonging.

Their conversation explores:

• Why a single mentoring style does not work for everyone.
 • How mentors can help emerging scientists build confidence and independence.
 • Why students need a network of mentors.
 • How scientists can learn from failure without being defined by it.
 • What experienced leaders can learn from the next generation.
 • How AI and rapid change are reshaping leadership in STEM.
 • Why mentorship should be treated as an ecosystem, not simply a one-to-one relationship.

Whether you are a mentor, mentee, educator, researcher, or leader, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at how we can better support the people – and shape the scientific culture – coming after us.

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The Art of Science Communication | Making statistics clear and accessible

How do you make complex statistics understandable without dumbing them down?

In the first episode of Stat Speaking with JMP, host Anne Milley sits down with statisticians and science communicators Dr. Regina Nuzzo and Dr. Kristin Sainani, co-hosts of the “Normal Curves” podcast, to explore the art (and importance) of communicating science clearly.

Nuzzo and Sainani share how storytelling, curiosity, and real-world examples can make sophisticated statistical concepts more approachable. They discuss why scientific communication can sometimes become unnecessarily complicated, how researchers can better connect with nontechnical audiences, and why understanding the limitations and context behind data is just as important as understanding the numbers themselves.

Whether you’re a statistician, researcher, scientist, data professional, or simply someone who wants to better understand the evidence shaping our world, this episode offers practical ideas for making complex information more engaging and meaningful.

In this episode:

• Why science and statistics can feel unnecessarily intimidating.
• How storytelling helps people understand complex data.
• How to make technical concepts accessible without sacrificing accuracy.
• Why scientists should “stop trying to sound smart.”
• How we still need domain expertise to complement the use of AI.
• Career advice for early-career scientists and engineers.

Guests: Dr. Regina Nuzzo and Dr. Kristin Sainani

Host: Anne Milley

Stat Speaking with JMP explores the stories behind the statistics and the science shaping our world.

A podcast for the statistically curious. Stat Speaking with JMP brings together compelling voices from across statistics, science, and beyond to explore the ideas, experiences, and decisions shaping our world.

In this newly reimagined series, we’ll go beyond the numbers for thoughtful conversations about science communication, mentorship, leadership, collaboration and the people behind meaningful discovery.